Safety control for motion picture projection machines



Feb. 1933. A. E. moms; ET AL 1,896,6'32

E PROJECTION MACHINES SAFETY CONTROL FOR MOTION PICTUR Filed Feb. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 7, 1933. IRONS ET AL 1,896,672

SAFETY CONTROL FOR MGTION PICTURE PROJECTION MACHINES Filed Feb. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 DavifiiffSJZ573 AA IN ENTORS BY /%M/ r 1 :TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT;

ARCHIE E. IRONS AND DARRELL S. KEPLER, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY CONTROL FOR MOTION PICTURE PROJECTION MACHINES Application filed February 10, 1930. Serial No. 427,155.

This invention relates to means for preventing film fires in motion picture projection rooms located in theaters and auditoriums. Film fires usually start at the aperture of the projection machine where the hot light spot from the arc lamp strikes the film. This fire sometimes follows the film through the fire valves or rollers into the film magazines where there may be over 1000 ft. of film.

19 Fires of this kind have been known to ignite and burn a major )ortion of the film even though all of this lm is enclosed in metal containers. Therefore, a major object of this device is to prevent fires of this nature and thereby prevent panic and resulting injury and death due to such panics.

The principal object of this invention is to stop a film fire so quickly that the audience will be unaware that any fire has occurred. This will be accomplished by placing mechanical or hand operated means for cutting the film in two places, once before it enters an upper film magazine and once just before it enters a lower film magazine.

A further object of the invention is to cause a complete closing of openings where the film ordinarily passes into the magazines.

A still further object is to provide means for automatically cutting said film and auto- 39 matically closing the openings where the film ordinarily travels when entering an upper and lower film magazine. Said cutting and closing operations being performed at the same time.

35 With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of an upper cut-ofi' and closing unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lower 0 cut-off and closing unit.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, excepting that the cut-oif and closing part is shown in an open position.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on line l4- of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a moving picture machine, showing the complete assembly of the safety device.

By referring first to Fig. 5 it will be seen that there is shown a motion picture projection machine 1. This machine may be of any ordinary, standard or special make. 2 indicates an upper cut-ofi' and closing unit. Numeral 3 indicates a lower cut-off and closing unit. It will be seen that there is an upper and lower cut-off and closing unit 2 and 3 which are positioned betweenthe motion picture projection machine 1 and its film magazines aand 5. A dotted line (3 indicates the 70 film as passing from one film magazine to the other. It will be seen that in the lower cutoff and closing unit 3 there is provided a rotatable cutting shaft 7. A clear construction of the rotatable cutting shaft 7 is shown in Fig. 3 in an open position in order to allow the film 6 to pass through freely an openmg 8.

The upper cut-off and closing unit 2 is provided with a rotatable cutting shaft 9 similar in shape as to the rotatable cutting shaft 7. Firmly secured to an outer end of this rotatable cutting shaft 9 there is posi tioned a lever arm 10 which is provided with a trigger support arm 11. An upper outwardly turned end 12 of this lever arm 10 is provided with a link member 13 which has one end secured to a flexible wire it which is carried past the motion picture projection machine 1 through a flexible sheath 15. A lower end 16- of the flexible wire 14 is secured by means of a link 17 to an adjustable bracket 18 positioned upon a lever arm 19 which in turn is secured by means of a clamp 20 to an outer end of the rotatable cut-ting shaft 7. The length of the flexible wire 14 and the position of the adjustable bracket 18 on the lever arm 19 is just right in order to place the rotatable cutting shaft 7 and the rotatable 4 seen that there is provided a trigger arm-21 which is provided with an inner end 22 which rests on a tension link 23. This tension link 23 may be of highly inflammable or fus1ble material so that when fire takes place on the film 6 the heat or flame will separate the tension link 23 allowing the trigger arm 21 to slide over an incline seat 24 formed on the outer and upper surface of the trigger sup port arm 11'. r

In order to hold the inner end 22 of the trigger arm 21 at a tension against the ten-' sion link 23 there is provided a tension arm 25 secured to the rotatable cutting shaft 7 and held under tension by means of a spring 26 which is supported by means of a support arm 27. By referring. to Figs. 1 and 5 it will be seen that when the tension link 23 has separated, the trigger arm 21 slips off the incline seat 24, the pull of the spring 25 immediately causes a simultaneous rotation of the rotatable cutting shafts 7 and 9. This rotation cuts the film at points where the same passes through and by the rotatable cutting shafts 7 and 9. These rotatable cutting shafts '4" and 9 are causedto stop when the same have made a quarter revolution. This may be accomplished in any \vay but in the embodiment forth iii-the drawings, the same is accomplishec when a point 28.01 the linl-r member 13 comes contact with an upper part 29 of the flexible sheath 15.

liy referring to Fig. 1 it will be seenthat there is provided a hand operated meansfor cutting the tension linl; 23 when it is desired to be done. This is accomplis led by means of a slidable blade 30 provided with a sharp central opening 31 through which the tension link 23 passes. By pressing against theouter iead member 32 the slidable blade 30 is caused to function. V

ny referring to Figs. 2 and i it will be seen that there has been provided a flattened surface 33 on the rotatable cutting shaft? so that when the rotatable cutting shaft 7 has been turned a quarter turn cutting off the film 6 a plunger closes a switch 35. This switch 35 may be connected to any suitable means for automatically lighting a danger signal in the booth r in operating any desirable safety ap-' pliance in connection with the operation of a motion picture projection machine.

What-we claim is: a a

1. In a device of the class described, a housing capable of attachment to a motion picture projection machine, said'housing positioned between upper portion of a motion picture projection machine and a film magazine, an electric switch, a rotatable round shaft provided with a cutting edge positioned within said housing, a lower housing, a r0- tatable round shaft positioned within said lower housing, a flattened place on said shaft, a plunger forthe purpose of closing said electric switch, a trigger arm, means for releasing said trigger arm, means for holdin said trigger arm under tension in order that said rotatable shafts with cutting edges may be rotated in order to cut a film at two points, one

' before entering the upper film magazine and tion picture projection machine and a film magazine, an electric switch, a rotatable round shaft provided with a cutting edge positioned within said housing, a lower housing, a rotatable round shaft positioned'within said lower housing, a flattened place on said shaft, a plunger for the purpose of closing said electric switch, trigger arm, means for releassaid trigger arm, means for holding said trigger arm under tension in order that said rotatable shafts with cutting edges may be otated in order to cut a film at two points, one before entering the upper film magazine and another before entering the lower iihn maga- Zine, means for closing openings through which said film passed before cutting, a tension link, manual means for cutting said tension linlr in order to release means for cutting the iilm and closin openings through which the film passes before being cut, substantially as described. 1

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

,ARCHIE E. IRONS.

DARRELL S. KEPLER. 

